It's now only a matter of weeks until Bristol's famous Downs are transformed into a festival-goers' paradise - and there are some seriously exciting plans in store.

The Downs Festival will take place on Saturday, September 2, and will be headlined by Elbow, along with support from support from Seasick Steve, De La Soul, Groove Armada, Soul II Soul, Ibibio Sound Machine and The Districts.

Last year saw the festival held for the first time, headlined by Massive Attack, and despite problems with queuing and bad weather it was hailed as one of the finest events in Bristol's history. This year, organisers have promised they've learned from mistakes and will give ticket-holders the most incredible of experiences.

This is everything you need to know about who's playing at this year's festival, how to get tickets and the best ways of travelling to The Downs on the day - and we're sure it's going to be an unforgettable weekend, no matter the weather.

Who's playing at The Downs Festival 2017?

This year's headliners are none other than Scottish rock legends Elbow. They're best-known for the singles One Day Like This and Grounds For Divorce, and lead singer Guy Garvey's impeccable voice is sure to sound fantastic in a festival arena.

American blues singer Seasick Steve is second on this year's bill. He performed in front of huge crowds at Bristol Summer Series last year and is renowned for his catchy melodies about his early life doing casual work in the US.

Seasick Steve.

Hip-hop trio De La Soul are renowned for putting on legendary performances and Soul II Soul's performance will be a highlight for anyone who was a fan of their timeless single Back to Life. The main stage's other artist, Ibibio Sound Machine, has won plenty of praise from music industry bigwigs this year with her blend of electronic beats and traditional African music.

This year, the festival's second stage is a homage to the very finest acts in dance and electronic music - and its line-up is seriously impressive. Topping the bill this year are the legendary Groove Armada, alongside performances from David Rodigan MBE and Bristol's very own Roni Size.

However, the most recognisable artist on the second stage this year is surely Brummie rapper Mike Skinner, who is perhaps better known as the frontman of The Streets.

Mike Skinner

The Streets, with Skinner's incisive and distinctive lyrics at the helm, burst onto the scene in spectacular fashion in 2001 with the release of their debut album, Original Pirate Material. From there they went on to release a further four albums which all received similar acclaim.

After disbanding in 2011, Skinner reinvented himself as a DJ and is now busier than ever, appearing at numerous club nights and festivals up and down the country.

The festival's Information Stage is also back for a second year and is headlined by rapper, poet and historian Akala. He will be joined by renowned director Ken Loach, the team behind satirical TV show The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, blogger Suhaiymah Mazoor-Khan and spoken word artist Vanessa Kisuule.

The set times for the main and second stages have already been revealed - and there are some serious clashes, of course - but the Information Stage has not yet revealed its timings.

How to get Downs Festival 2017 tickets

Crowds at the 2016 Downs Festival.

If you haven't yet managed to get your hands on tickets to this year's festival, don't panic. They haven't sold out just yet - so there's still time.

The easiest way to buy tickets is directly through the Downs Festival website, although you can also get them through Seetickets and Ticketmaster. Tickets are priced £50.50 for adults and £10 for children aged between five and 12.

Travel information: how to get to this year's festival

There will be no event parking provided on or around the Downs and there will be a number of road closures around the Downs and Sneyd Park on the day of the festival. Almost all parking around the Downs and Sneyd Park will also be suspended.

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Anyone still planning to travel to the festival by car is encouraged to use one of the Park and Ride locations at either Long Ashton or Portway. First Bus will be running park and ride bus services from both sites from 12.30pm-midnight on the day, with return tickets costing £4. Children under 16 can travel for free but must be accompanied by an adult.

The festival has also confirmed it will be running an event shuttle bus service in partnership with First Bus this year. The shuttle will run from Bristol Temple Meads railway station and The Centre to and from the Downs from midday until midnight.

Shuttle tickets can be bought on board the buses and a return journey is priced £4, with singles costing £3. A return shuttle bus ticket can also be used as a First day rider ticket, which entitles you to unlimited travel that day on any bus service on the First Bus inner Bristol network.

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There will also be a dedicated bicycle parking area at the festival and anyone thinking of cycling will need to pre-register for bike parking via the Sustrans website. Anyone needing to use a taxi to get to or from the site will be able to do so via designated drop-off areas for private vehicles, which will be signposted on the day.